Consider a Community College

There are many good reasons for a recent—or not so recent—high school graduate to consider attending a community college. The need for a postsecondary education in America has not been greater, and an educated and skilled workforce is in high demand.

The website of the American Association of Community Colleges' notes that "Globalization is driving changes in our economy, and the need for an educated workforce has never been greater. The majority of new jobs that will be created by 2014 will require some postsecondary education."

Solid Education, Affordable Price

For a large percentage of the American population, achieving a postsecondary education is possible, in large part, because local community colleges offer quality education and training that is affordable. The affordability question is a crucial one to many individuals who want to be competitive in today's workforce, but have limited economic resources.

Community Colleges, the AACC notes on its website, "…have been inclusive institutions." Anyone who has "a desire to learn" is welcome by community colleges "regardless of wealth, heritage, or previous academic experience."

The Massachusetts Community College Mission Statement includes this sentence: No eligible student shall be deprived admission to a community college education in Massachusetts because of an inability to pay tuition and fees.

The average annual tuition and fees of public community colleges is $2, 361, far below the $6,185 cost of 4-year public colleges.

Diverse Student Population

Increasingly, the American workforce and marketplace reflect the diversity of the American people. A growing percentage of employers and employees have cited diversity as a major ingredient in creating a positive workplace culture. Preparing oneself for the future should include exposure to people from different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.

Nation-wide community colleges display a wide-range of not only racial and ethnic diversity, but other examples of diversity as well. For example, women make up 60 percent of students enrolled in community colleges. Forty-two percent of community college students are between the ages of 22 to 39, with 16 percent 40 years old or older.

Additionally nearly 100,000 international students attend community colleges, or about 39% of all international undergraduate students in the United States. In terms of diversity, the population of people attending the nation's community colleges mirrors, in many ways, "the real world".

Credit Transfer to a 4-Year Made Easy

For students who want to complete four years of college, a community college is, according to the Massachusetts Community College Mission Statement, a good place to start. Through its Joint Admissions Program, students who complete a two-year program at a Massachusetts community college are ensured "that most credits transfer upon enrollment into a public or private learning institution."

Furthermore, "…each community college has negotiated agreements with private colleges and universities that guarantee admission as a junior for qualified community college graduates."

In addition to saving "thousands of dollars in tuition costs and fees," the various programs available to Massachusetts community college students who decide to attend a four-year institution make applying "a snap".

Enhance Your Skills for the Workforce

The nature of the American workplace is such that workers in nearly every profession need to enhance their skills. People who are already members of the workforce, but want to increase their value as a worker, experience salary growth, and provide job security for themselves, should consider taking classes at a community college.

With the conviction that learning is life-long, community colleges have departments of Continuing Education and Professional Development specifically designed for career enhancement.

In Massachusetts, for example, "…Community Colleges are an essential part of the workforce development environment in Massachusetts, providing over 5,000 workforce development courses each year for Massachusetts business and industry, according to Massachusetts Community College's "Fast Facts".

For adult learners and people already employed, Continuing Education courses help to keep professionals competitive by offering career enhancement workshops and seminars.

Because lifelong learning involves personal as well as professional growth, community colleges offer an array of non-credit courses designed for individual enhancement. A sampling of such courses offered by a Massachusetts community college includes: Catering and Event Planning, The Internet Made Easy, and Spanish for Healthcare Professionals.

When these factors and others, such as relatively small instructor/student ratios and the important role that community colleges play in the local economy and as a community resource, are considered, it is not surprising to learn that community college students make up nearly half of all undergraduates in the U.S.

If you are a high school graduate considering college, and you have not made a decision yet—consider a community college.

Editorial provided by Ted Thomas, Public Relations Specialist & Editor, Roxbury Community College, Boston, MA.